1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a powered soil tillage device, and more particularly to a lightweight, hand-held powered soil tillage device. More specifically, the powered soil tillage device of this invention is used to cultivate soil in preparation for seeding or planting, for loosening and aeration of soil to benefit plant development, and for the removal of weeds or unwanted vegetation in gardens, fields or similar plots.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various methods have been used for tilling or cultivating the soil, including manually operated hoes, spades, shovels, rakes and similar devices, which are labor-intensive and time-consuming.
Various powered tillage devices employ rotary tillage members, often disc-shaped with serrated teeth or tine-like protrusions. These machines or devices are commonly known as rototillers and present safety hazards as the rotating discs, blades or tines can cause significant injury if contact occurs with the machine operator, other people, pets, etc. The rotary motion of the tillage members can also snag and entangle clothing, which can also lead to injury. During operation, devices of this type may lurch forward, causing unsafe and difficult operation, especially when the rotating tillage members strike plant roots, rocks or other objects, or when the soil conditions are inconsistent with hard and soft zones. To reduce this condition, some rototillers utilize powered drive wheels or tracks to propel the machine forward.
Rotary tillage machines cannot be easily maneuvered or guided around or between individual plants, obstacles or garden plot contours due to the drive wheel-like pulling or grabbing action of the rotating tillage members as they move through the soil. As such, these machines are normally restricted to cultivating between rows of plants or where straight-line motion is possible for some distance. Rototiller-type machines also tend to entangle weeds, vines, etc. as they snag and wrap such materials around the rotating tillage members, requiring stoppage of the machine and manual clearing of the debris.
Another form of tillage or cultivation often associated with farms, and to a lesser extent, garden plots, is to pull or push blades, discs or tines through the soil while submerged or partially submerged in the soil. This movement can be performed manually or by utilizing tractors or similar power sources as the propelling force. Such devices do not till or churn in the soil as thoroughly as other means and generally are better suited for larger fields or areas where maneuverability and ease of steerage is of limited importance.
Other tillage-powered devices consist of blades or clam-like shovels that open and close or penetrate and twist the soil. These devices tend to be complex and in general provide limited soil cultivation effectiveness, and their use is not widespread.